MOMOK, that’s good. But like I was saying about your father, it’s like he’s set his mind to it, you know? I mean, it’s not like there’s anything wrong with him. (pause) He just decided to go ahead and starve himself to death. Just like that.

STANYeah, OK. So why are you of all people breaking a sweat over it?

MOMI’m not. I just always seem to wind up getting stuck playing messenger boy between your dear old father and you kids every time he does one of his little psychodramas. Why the hell is that, Stanny?

STAN (chuckles)Simple, Ma. You’re the only one that’ll still take his calls. The rest of us got call screening.

MOM (after awkward pause)Do you think you should give him a call, Stanny?

STAN (evasively)No. What for?

MOMI don’t know. Sort out any unfinished business? Try and penetrate that thick skull of his? Tell him to stop being so melodramatic? Whatever? (long pause) Do you think maybe you should call him? Are you there, Stan?

STANNo.

MOMNo, you’re not there? Could’ve fooled me.

STANNo, I don’t think I should call him.

MOMAh. OK. (awkward pause) I mean I’m not saying you should or anything, I’m the last person who’d say any of you should give your father the time of day, you know? I just figured, you know, because of how everything went, and how it all ended up, that –-

STANLike I said. I don’t think I should call him.

MOMWhy not?

STAN (after long pause)Because I don’t think I should call him, that’s all. It’s not complicated. Look, Ma. We both know that as soon as the old man realizes his little drama routine isn’t going to make him the center of attention, he’ll get bored with the whole thing and get back to drinking his Scotch and smoking his smokes and flashing that million-dollar smile.

MOMI don’t think so. No, I don’t think so this time. I really do believe he means to do it. He seems, I can’t explain it exactly, it’s almost like he’s relieved somehow, like he’s okay with it.

STANCome on, Ma. You can’t possibly think he’s serious.

MOMStanny, you know how his mind works, if anybody does. I sure as hell never did. Took me a long time to figure that one out, let me tell you. It’s like this. Your father’s going to starve himself to death because he doesn’t have an audience anymore. It’s like your father’s not even there when there’s no people around. (long pause)Looking back, I really do think it’s always been that way. Always. If he walks into an empty room, it’s like it’s still empty. (pause) You there, Stanny?

STAN (quietly)Yeah, Ma.

MOMWhat? I can’t even hear you, Stanny.

STANYeah, Ma. I’m still here. (sighs) And like I said, I don’t think I should call him, that’s all.

MOMListen, I’m telling you, Stanny, you need to be the one to call him. It needs to be you. You need to call your father up and you need to tell him it’s wrong. Tell him it’s selfish and melodramatic, and tell him it’s just wrong! He’ll listen to you. If the idiot ever listened to anybody, he listened to you.

STAN (quietly)I can’t do that to him, Ma.

MOMGod damn these phones! Are you sure you don’t have me on speaker? What did you say?

STAN (louder)I said, I can’t do that to him, Ma.

MOMWhat? Do what ‘to’ him? What are you talking about?

STANHe decided, Ma. I’m not going to take that away from him. He decided. He did. I’m not going to help him be weak again, now that he’s finally decided. I won’t do that to him.

MOMWhat the hell do you mean? You are making no sense to me, Stanny. (pause) You are drunk, aren’t you?

STAN (quiet, bitter)Not yet, I’m not.

MOMNo, I didn’t get any of that. Can you hear me? Stupid phones. Hello?

STAN (almost to himself)Judge, jury, and executioner. I can’t tell him he’s wrong to be any of those things.

MOMLook, Stanny, you’re talking insane, you know what I mean? What the hell is this ‘I can’t tell him he’s wrong’ crap? What is that supposed to mean? Yes, you can! You sure can tell him, and you’re going to, you’re going to call him and tell him not to do this. Tell him he’s wrong to do this, God damn it!

STAN (after long pause)I can’t, Ma. I can’t. (Long pause) Because he’s not wrong, Ma. He’s never been less wrong about anything in his whole sorry-ass life. Leave it be, Ma. Leave him be. He needs to do this, and he’s right to do this. He’s been waiting most of his life to do this. Just waiting around trying to work up the guts to finally do it and get it over with. The best thing we can do is leave him alone to do this one thing right. Please, Ma.